Fox and Hound
by Nyodrite
Summary: Hatake Kakashi had a lot of regrets in his relatively short life, he only hoped that taking Sensei's son's place as a jinchūriki didn't become one of them.
1. Prologue I

He was screaming, mask damp and slick from a mixture of blood and saliva he had coughed up, and he knew that at any other time he would feel shame over showing such weakness.

Not now.

Not when his lungs burned from too little air. Not when his throat tore itself trying to vocalize the pain he was in. Not when his heart could not decide if it wished to race or stall. Not when there was hair in his hands, damp with blood from when he ripped it out. Not when his blood boiled with a pain and rage and desperation that was foreign but far too familiar. Not when his body betrayed him and could no longer support him as he sobbed, screamed, bled and lay spasming in the dirt.

Not when Sensei was shouting his name but unable to do anything to help him.

Not when he _chose_ this.

Not when a kind of numbing darkness started to descend upon him- slowing his heart, quieting his screams, distancing his pain, calming his body...making Sensei _that_ much more desperate.

If he could speak right now, Kakashi would apologize.

For placing Sensei into the roll of a father when he was far too young for it.

For being a terrible student.

For being a coward.

For getting his teammates killed.

For _killing_ one of them.

For leaving Sensei alone with a legacy of three dead students in as many years...

Then a last minute epiphany struck as numbness prevailed and his sight was lost-

_I don't want to die._

* * *

**A/N:**I am terrible- I shouldn't start another story. I couldn't help it. I wanted something with less fluff.


	2. Prologue II

**_NO!_**The voice, vicious and vibrating with power, roared from within. **_My tale will not end due to the weakness of an insignificant _worm_! I shall not die a _PRISONER_!_**

Delirious, half-formed thoughts came to him- dragging him from his peaceful nothingness- that begged him to find out to whom the voice belonged and what it meant.

_"I'm sorry. Please- _please_- Just-...just _breath_."_

He tried to fall back into nothingness, he had never known such peace as he had there and he wanted it more then _anything_. It was safe and without pain or guilt or regret and he felt he could be happy there-

_Why? Why couldn't they let him be happy?_

**_You. Will. Not._ Die_! _**The voice, all power and determination, lashed out- filling him with _something _that dragged him further from the nothingness.

_"C'mon Kakashi, _breath_- that's an order. You're not going to disobey your Hokage, are you?"_

He could almost cry because he _knew_ if the voices let him go he would be able to go _beyond_ the darkness- to a place where sorrow would never reach him, where his father was waiting and he would meet his mother. To where Rin and Obito would be able to forgive him and they would wait for Sensei together so they could be a team again.

_Please...let me _go_._

_"_Kashi_- Please don't die...Don't leave me the only one left."_

**LIVE_!_**

And he breathed once more.

* * *

Namikaze Minato was not ashamed to admit that he was crying as he held his limp student's body to him- barely even registering his exhausted wife holding their bawling son.

He had thought that his newborn son being taken was terrifying but it was _nothing_ compared to watching his sole surviving student writhe and scream in the dirt from the agony of a demon placed inside him with a seal made for a newborn then watching as the screams went silent and the body still- because he could chase down his son's kidnapper but he couldn't help his student, not when he had to keep up a barrier around himself and family so that the chakra lashing out wouldn't harm them or worse.

He dove for Kakashi when it stopped, hoping that everything would be alright because Kakashi was _so strong_ and surely, if he could live with everything, he could survive _this_. But the body was still, lax and stiff all at once in a way that he had fervently hoped he would never see in the masked boy- _child_, _he was just a _child.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to the child whom he had taught to kill before losing his first baby tooth. Whom he had praised over the dedication to become an even more efficient killer instead of running around at a park, laughing and playing with other kids. Whom he had lead to war with _pride_-

"Please- _please-_" He pleaded- for forgiveness, for retribution, for condemnation of the child he had most surely killed, whether it be in body or mind or both.

Kakashi needed to- to- "Just-...just _breath_."

Because he couldn't- wasn't _strong_ enough. And wasn't _that_ a laugh, the Yondaime Hokage not strong enough to handle the death of one shinobi...

...shinobi...hokage...

"C'mon Kakashi, _breath_- that's an order. You're not going to disobey your Hokage, are you?" Because Kakashi had _never_ disobeyed an order from his Hokage.

But this time he did.

"_Kashi_-" A name he hadn't used in _years_, when had he let that closeness they had disappear? When he started dating Kushina? When Rin and Obito made them a team? When Obito died? When he married Kushina? When Rin died? When? "Please don't die..."

He had never been more defeated, more broken then when he pleaded with the corpse of his first and last student, "Don't leave me the only one left."

And he had never been more relieved, more euphoric when the boy- the child, _his child_ in every way that mattered- breathed again.


	3. Prologue III

When Kakashi had breathed, Minato had believed everything would be _okay_. That his student would wake up disgruntled at him over being dragged to the hospital over something so 'minor' and he would laugh as Kushina berated the boy over carelessness until he proposed that they go for ramen before she got it into her head to ensure the lesson would stick- by violent means if needed.

But the boy never woke. He breathed and survived but had yet to continue _living_.

And Minato, he went every single day- more often then not accompanied by Kushina, whom saw the boy as hers as surely as Naruto was- to sit in the hospital room because he _knew_, even if the boy wouldn't admit it, that Kakashi was afraid of hospitals and it was so much worse if he woke up alone.

Others visited their boy, with either Minato or Kushina or both hovering with the intention of destroying _anything_ that threatened him, as he lay unmoving.

Might Gai, solemn as he had ever been, stood unmoving at the foot of the hospital bed in a silent vigil for fifteen minutes before leaving with a vow that he "would train so that when my most cool and hip rival decided to wake I can beat him in a challenge".

Sarutobi Asuma came in with Yuhi Kurenai and scoffed out a "You keep lazing about and we'll catch up to you, Hatake- then we'll kick your ass for making us worry over nothing" before leaving, the girl following after leaving flowers.

Mitarashi Anko came with Inuzuka Hana, struggling to carry a huge white dog between them before placing the plushie at the foot of the bed, the former scowling and snapping an irritated "you better appreciate this, Hatake- I expect dango in return, you lazy ass" while the later muttered a "I'll never forgive you if you don't wake up and allow me to see your ninken again" before they left.

Hosono Ayame and Uzuki Yūgao were escorted in by a new medic, all three slightly red as they placed their get well cards and small gifts while glancing nervously at the two of them before scurrying away as fast as they came.

Aburame Muta, Hyūga Tokuma, Nara Ensui and Yamanaka Santa entered periodically, leaving a leather-bound journal that the Yamanaka declared had everything that Kakashi had missed in it because he "knows that you're anal about such things- you're a worse gossip hound then my _mom_".

Aburame Shibi, Hyūga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku came together acting as silent sentinels with the only explanation being "Sensei would skin us alive over letting such things happen" and it took a moment to remember that the three were Sakumo's genin team.

However often they came, they were all waiting for the boy to wake.

* * *

The first thing he saw was white surrounding him, encircling him from head to toe- front and back. There was an endless eternity of nothing all around him, not a speck of color to be found in that void- not even on his own body that was different in a way that disconcerted him, albeit in a way that he couldn't explain.

So he walked- into nothingness, away from nothingness.

Water splashed as his feet moved, forming thousands of tiny droplet-shaped mirrors that grouped together enough to show him his featureless face and shaggy hair that felt _wrong_ for reasons he couldn't explain.

Thus he looked upon his reflection no more.

* * *

Minato watched with tired, weary but grimly satisfied eyes as a pair of Konohagakure's best messenger hawks took off for their targets. His wife stood at his side with a similar expression, Naruto happily nursing in her arms.

Their boy, different last name or not- different blood or not, would be getting help or else there would be more Sanin considered missing ninja.


	4. Prologue IV

After walking for however long and however far, he found that the water came from pipes that had burst.

The pipes may have once been beautiful- slender and efficient, white and winding, shimmering with the slightest hint of blue- but now they were deformed and broken by a rust that was blood red and creeping along with thin tentacles. The pipes were an empty husk, the water having gushed out when they first broke, though the red sludge dripped and crept inside the pipes- tainting the water it managed to touch.

He felt a quiet mix of horror and sorrow at the state of the pipes before setting his jaw and heading for where the redness originated.

* * *

"By all counts, the gaki _should_ be dead." Tsunade informed them after her diagnostic on their boy. "His chakra coils were put under such strain that, with how developed they already were and how little they could _continue_ to develop, they burst under the pressure- leaving only shredded remains tainted by the demon's own chakra. That taint is both killing and saving the boy simultaneously."

Kushina, fierce and focused, "_How_?"

"The foreign chakra is the cause, gushing too much into too little, but it is also twisting and _recreating_ the remains- keeping them together enough that the gaki survives even when he _shouldn't_." Tsunade said. "To even be able to _think_ about recovery his coils must be purged of the taint while simultaneously recreated- and even if he survives, there's a very real chance that he won't recover enough to mold chakra without threat of death."

Minato closed his eyes. Took a deep breath, then decided. "We shall do so when Sensei arrives."

* * *

**A/N:**I expected a shorter prologue, but Kakashi wanted to say _his_ bit- after the first chapter, it was _suppose_ to be only Minato narrating.

I would also like to thank everyone whom reviewed- a special thanks to _Prescripto13_ who has reviewed every one of my stories.  
_Seshat-Ra_, your question _will_ be answered...eventually.


	5. Prologue V

There were more colors now then just white and red, they held no definite picture- almost like hundreds of pieces from hundreds of different puzzles just piled together- and reminded him almost of broken glass with a red-lined black mitsudomoe focusing on him almost as if it were an eye.

What drew his attention though, causing him an odd mixture of dread and determination, was large, dog-sized fox pressing it's paws against the pipes- whole here, if entirely red- and seemed to _push_ the red into them. The fox had nine tails and wore a collar, almost paper looking, that was attached to a partially rusted chain that disappeared into a large metal cage- the bars seeming to have been shattered.

_**"So you have come."** _ the fox stated, not even deigning to look at him.

He answered even if there was no need, "I have. Where are we?"

The fox _did_ look at him then, seeming ancient and wise and, oddly, a bit remorseful before it spoke, **_"We are in what had been your soul before you decided to destroy it."_**

"I _wouldn't_-..." he frowned.

Teeth were bared in a sharp, bitter grin, **_"Tell me- do you know your name?"_**

And a cold sort of terror seized him as he realized that did not.

* * *

Tsunade had one hand placed over the top of Kakashi's forehead with the second over the boy's heart, Sensei was focused on the stomach where the seal was- a fresh pair of eyes would be more likely to discern a problem then the creator. The Slug Princess shared a glance with her fellow teammate before turning her attention towards Minato, "We are ready to begin when you are."

He took a deep breath and nodded, hoping desperately he wasn't making a mistake as he erected a barrier incase anything went wrong.

_Don't die Kakashi-_

Please-

_-just-_

_-come-_

_-_back_._

* * *

"Kakashi..." he breathed and his breath hitched, "Kyuubi...?" The fox, the _Kyuubi_, gave an almost approving nod- distantly he noticed the shattered glass seemed to start to, _slowly_, reform. "What do you mean...destroy my soul?"

**_"Typical human- doing something without even knowing the consequences." _**Kyuubi snorted before answering. **_"The seal that_ you_ forced upon__ us was created with a newborn host in mind. Newborns have the strongest souls as they are not yet tainted- whether the taint is good or bad- they are also developing their chakra coils and thus inserting a foreign chakra into them would not harm them as it has _you_."_**

He frowned, "Then the pipes..."

**_"Are a manifestation of what you perceive as your chakra coils- they had _burst_ because they were unable to adapt to the sudden addition of my own chakra."_**the fox eyed him sharply. _**"You almost **_**killed_ us with your little stunt."_**

Kakashi mused over that, wondering _why_ he decided to take the demon at it's word, "Then how am I- are _we_ alive?"

**_"Your father."_** Was the shocking reply.

* * *

**A/N:**The last of the prologue.


	6. Breaking Point

"_No_..." Kakashi whispered in denial because his father was dead- he _couldn't_ have helped him.

**_"When you took the whelp's__ place,"_ **The fox continued relentlessly. **_"Your chakra drew the attention of the shinigami. It latched onto you and ravaged you as you did not know to direct it as your blonde leader did, this caught you in a kind of tug-of-war between myself and the shinigami. It tore into your mind, intending to lay claim to your soul, while I destroyed your body to better accommodate me."_**

A beat, a pause and Kakashi did all he could to remind himself to breath.

**_"It got very close to succeeding- you _did_ die for a time- before I was able to settle enough to bring you back. The resurrection of your body, however, had nothing to do with your soul as the shinigami had gotten it's 'claws' into you. Then came your__ father."_** the fox paused, and distantly he wondered if the demon had a name or if it was truly called 'Kyuubi'. **_"He was dead but his soul was unable to move on and thus he was close enough to _this _plane."_**

And that caused Kakashi to frown, "How could he have known I needed him if he was dead?"

**_"You are his son."_**the Kyuubi answered simply. **_"Children souls are born from a tiny portion of their parents'- usually it is the mother whom has the strongest connection with the child as they are the one whom carried and bore it but it is not uncommon for fathers to form stronger bonds with their child in the absence of the mother. This bond, as negligent as it is in life when you are flesh and bone, is infinitely stronger when one dies- it can call to one another in death as yours did."_**

Kakashi opened his mouth to say how little that made sense but the Kyuubi continued without pause, **_"Your father freed you and took your place even though it would not heal the damage already done."_**

"_Why_?" he ask, lost and grieving all over again as if his father had committed seppuku once more.

**_"Because,"_**the fox said impartially, **_"He is your father. They tend to protect their young even if it means death."_**

He wanted to deny that because if his father _truly_ wished to protect him then why didn't he _live_ for him? Because he couldn't deal with the idea that another had traded their life- _more_- for him. So he didn't. "You said that it wouldn't heal the damage, but I _am_ healing."

The Kyuubi informed him, **_"Your blond leader has called in the healer and sealer to heal you as well as they can."_**

"As well as they can..." Kakashi repeated. "You say it as if they would not succeed."

**_"They are purging me from you even as a recreate the what has been damaged, if I cannot finish before they force me into the cage then they won't succeed."_**the fox told him frankly. **_"At best you will never be able to use chakra, at worst you will remain in a coma and you will start deteriorating to the point of death."_**

Kakashi swallowed, "But you _can_ finish before them?"

**_"Recreating your coils is simple and practically finished."_**the Kyuubi confirmed before continuing. **_"It is that _eye_,"_**the word spoken like a curse and accompanied by a tail gesturing. **_"That is the problem and may keep me from finishing in time."_**

The 'eye' turned out to be the giant mitsudomoe that he had vaguely noted as staring at him, upon closer inspection he found that the eye had thin, miss them if you weren't looking, strings branching out from it and colored with black and red. The glass shards and kaleidoscope of colors drew attention away from how dozens of the strings covered the ground like a thin, fraying blanket. He also noticed that even more were still taunt, weaving together into sturdy braids that shot off long past what he could see.

A name, _'Obito'_, was on his tongue and a stinging pang in his heart- raging with guilt and sorrow and regret- as he looked upon the mitsudomoe. He did not even feel himself as "How?" as he stared at the eye, the mitsudomoe looking almost as if it were spinning.

**_"The eye is connect to another's mind, body and soul- to another's chakra."_**the fox said. **_"It is acting as if a parasite to your own. I have been isolating it but you have latched onto it and it to you- if you wish for survival you must let _go_."_**

Kakashi's head was shaking in denial even as he spoke, "No- I _can't_. That's a gift- _Obito_ gave it to me. I _promised_."

**_"You have already broken one promise to the dead child,"_**the Kyuubi stated dispassionately, a tail flickering as another gesture. **_"What is another?"_**

This time it was the shards, which had formed together enough to form a mirror that showed him Rin's death in a loop; him focused, charging with _Chidori_ and her jumping in the way, seeming surprised (S_hould have seen it. Should have stopped. All my fault. I killed her. I failed)_ with his name on her lips even as she died, image forever imprinted to perfection thanks to the eye entrusted in him to keep her safe _(Failure! Worse- traitor! Friend-slayer! Team-killer! Your fault! You killed her! Failed them!)_.

It was suddenly very hard to swallow. "I-...I already failed once- I _can't_- not again."

**_"You must let_** _**go!"** _the fox ordered harshly. **_"You do no good like this! Let_ GO_!_"**

And, suddenly, it was all too much.

Hands clamping over ears and head shaking he collapsed into a ball on the ground, chanting a slew of denials, "_Nononononono_..."

* * *

**A/N:**I am not pleased with how the sealing was explained but Kurama refused to phrase it any differently.


	7. On the Outside

"What's going on?" Minato barked, ignoring how his chest tightened in fear as pale red- tainted _white_- streams of chakra whipped about erratically from Kakashi's body in favor of getting answers.

He was looking at where Sensei was gritting his teeth, beads of sweat forming but it was Tsunade, the chakra in her hands pulsing like a heartbeat, who answered. "He's lashing out." came the tight reply. "As if he were in shock but now trying to reject the changes."

Minato was, admittedly, having a harder time ignoring the fear that he just _knew_ might overwhelm him should he acknowledge it. "What does that mean."

"If this keeps up as it is," Flat, impersonal in a way that indicated the Sannin's own worry. "He will be lost to us."

He allowed himself a moment of panic where the fear he had been keeping at bay just _surged_ through his body before bringing it all back under control, "What can we do?"

"He knows you best," the kunoichi said musingly, "You might be able to call him back."

Sensei added his thoughts, "Or, failing that, a Yamanaka _may_ be able to take you into his mindscape and help him work through whatever caused this."

"How much time do we have?" Minato demanded instead of answering.

Tsunade responded briskly, "An hour at most if it doesn't get any worse."

"I will enter his mind." He decided, flaring his chakra thrice in rapid succession to call one of the ANBU whom had been stationed outside the room. "Haiena bring Yamanaka Inoichi, Yamanaka Santa and Uzumaki Kushina here immediately."

* * *

ANBU Codename _Haiena_ found her first target sparring with an Aburame and a Nara in a three-way ninjutsu battle, a rather unlikely occurrence as each clans generally relied on their clan techniques.

Her surprise did not make her hesitate to approach them, recognizing them each as fellow operatives even if their codenames were unknown to her- a privilege given only to the Hokage, fellow Squad members and an operative's touchstone- she flared her chakra, something that was akin to a 'hello' or other form of greeting between operatives.

The response was immediate, their spar stopped and the Yamanaka spoke- "How can we assist you, ANBU-san?"- even as the Nara flared his chakra swiftly twice, once and thrice in a question to confirm her identity as an ANBU.

Haiena felt a smirk pull at her mouth- not whelps then, the foolish little rookies rarely thought as cautiously as they should and certainly never believed that anyone would impersonate an _ANBU_, but she would guess they were either yearlings (though 'yearlings' were generally those whom had a year to two years of experience without a handler) or a first tier veteran (as they couldn't have been old enough for more then five years experience)- as she spoke, "Yondaime-sama requests your presence immediately, Yamanaka-kun."

She did not respond to the flare, curious of their reactions- as it would allow her to judge just how experienced they were.

"Really, where at?" The Yamanaka stalled as the Nara flared his chakra once more- 2, 1, 3, 1- as both an inquiry towards confirmation and a warning if it wasn't given promptly they would attack.

First tier veterans she concluded before responding nonverbally with her chakra- 4, 1, 3- and verbally- "Sealing Room 3B."- when she felt them relax. Recent first tiers then, _very_ recent.

Haiena left them, finding her second target at home and flaring twice before appearing- it _did_ pay to remain polite towards the ones whom ran T&I after all. "Yondaime-sama requires your presence in Sealing Room 3B immediately, Yamanaka-dono."

The Clan Head regarded her a moment before, "Very well ANBU-san."

She left then, uninterested in remaining in the man's vicinity and she wondered if being a father would eventually soften the man before pushing the idle thought aside as she scoured for her final target- finding the kunoichi out with her son, her friend and her friend's son in a park.

And, for the third time, Haiena intoned, "Yondaime-sama immediately requests your presence in Sealing Room 3B, Uzumaki-chan."

She waited until she was certain the kunoichi was coming before leaving, her task done.

* * *

"Mikoto-chan can you-" Kushina started to ask her visiting friend after the ANBU finished speaking.

The Uchiha merely nodded, taking Naruto from her. "Of course, Kushina-chan. Go check on your eldest and husband."

She couldn't help the niggling of doubt because the boy- barely even fourteen!- should have woken up before now and _surly_, if everything went well and Kakashi was alright, Minato would have been able to get her himself. _Of course everything is okay_, Kushina wanted to shout- to reprimand herself for her thoughts, _This is _Kakashi_! He's always fine in the end!_

But she was a kunoichi and knew these thoughts were going to bring her nowhere and repressed them as she arrived at her destination, finding two Yamanaka- one the proud father of a little girl and the other part of Kakashi squad- present also. It was the ANBU whom opened the door with a "They are here as requested, Yondaime-sama" before taking a position by the door outside the room.

She felt her eyes widen as she saw the lashing chakra coming from Kakashi, along with the room's original occupants' tense states but Minato was already speaking, "Yamanaka-dono, Yamanaka-san, I need you to take me into Kakashi's mindscape so I can calm him. Kushina, you have to keep up the barrier when I go. Understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

* * *

**A/N:** It took a while but I decided on Kakashi being, barely, 14 and the reasoning that his coils were so developed due to necessity from him using them as he did as a child- genin at five, chūnin at six...

I don't know where Haiena came from, especially since Itachi was suppose to make an appearance here.


	8. Jounery into the Mind

Minato landed in a small, reflective pond that encased a broken, white pipe turned smooth and red- white strings coming from the pipe to stretch out to red and black strings then weaving together.

He couldn't explain why if asked but the image unnerved him to some degree. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts (_2,580 seconds left_), Minato started walking from the small pond- wondering slightly at why it suddenly had yellow tainting it now- and followed the smooth red of the once white pipe.

Before too long _(2,460 seconds) _his feet were walking over grass rather then the stone they had been, odd little purple and brown flowers blossoming in small clusters that grew more frequent until he was walking beside a small lake of them- a breeze blew by and Minato could have sworn he heard Rin's laughter as the flowers swayed in the wind. Shaking his head at the ludicrous thought- or was it? Perhaps this was Kakashi's mental representation of the girl- Minato sped his walk to a jog.

_2,390 seconds._

The flower-lake gave way to grassland, shrubbery and a sparse speckling of trees as the grass beneath him gave way to a dirt path.

An odd whistle sounded, drawing his attention to a dog-sized canine with red fur- though the tail was black and white lined the bottom of it's maw, down it's throat, to it's underbelly and on the inside of the legs- and he couldn't help but think _'Kushina'_. A roaring bark replied to the whistle as a wolf- looking remarkably like a tall, wolf-sized fox though it's body was yellow rather then red- stood over the grass and, as the first canine immediately darted towards it, Minato got the feeling that the wolf-fox was suppose to represent _him_.

The Kushina-dog pounced on the Minato-wolf, the odd whistling sounding again when the Minato-wolf fell under the Kushina-dog's sudden attack- though the sound was broken in a way that was almost laugh-like. The Minato-wolf nudged Kushina-dog off it, letting out another roaring bark that was answered by an immature version as a wolf-fox pup (_Naruto_, he thought) scrambled towards them, Kushina-dog bathing Naruto-pup after Minato-wolf nudged the excitable pup towards her.

He stood a moment, watching the canine family together- watching how Kakashi seemed to view them together- before forcing himself to continue on down the path.

_2,225 seconds._

The trees grew denser, swiftly becoming a forest that surrounded him- the wind shrieking through the trees violently enough for branches to scrape against one another. The trees grew closely enough that Minato had to grip the red pipe to make sure that he didn't wander away from his path, that grip was the only thing which kept him from falling- he had a feeling that, should he fall, he'd never find his way through the forest.

Minato tensed when some time later _(1,879 seconds) _a roar that reminded him of the Kyuubi's own, though it was lower and deeper, sending chills down his spine when the trees creaked and ground vibrate beneath him as what ever it was that roared moved through the trees towards him. Everything stilled when a howl sounded, he found he could suddenly _see_ again as a little white _hitodama_ floated before him.

The little ghost flame bounced close to his face, he resisted the urge to move away when it seemed to _vibrate_ with what he guessed was excitement (though it may have been anger, happiness or irritation for all he knew) and it let out a small chuffing noise before bounding off a few strides ahead of him. It paused, twirled and vibrated in place (this time he guessed it was due to impatience) then let out an irritated whuff when he did nothing but stare- bounding back through the air towards him, bouncing on his nose (which felt almost like having his nose being healed with chakra though without the pain) before moving away once more.

"...you want me to follow you?" Minato asked it, entirely confused with this new development.

The hitodama bobbed in what he took as agreement and, after a moment of hesitation, Minato let go of the pipe to follow the thing- hoping that he wasn't making a mistake. It let loose an excited little whistle and he wondered _how_ it was able to before recalling the laughing flowers, at which point he decided it was best to just go with things as they are.

"What are you suppose to represent?" He asked it after a while _(1,009 seconds)_ where he merely chased after the thing.

It twirled once, let loose an almost _mournful_ whistle before bounding off again- which, he supposed, was fine given that it seemed as if it were unable to answer him anyways. His guide stalled a second, vibrated and whistled in what he took as excitement before moving forwards at a speed he had to run to match.

_987 seconds._

There was an inugami where the hitodama stopped. The dog was the size of a full grown Inuzuka ninken, white furred with only it's front half similar to that of a dog with the rest trailing behind like a floating snake tail and it wore a collar of what seemed to be red teeth (though they may have been triangles as they didn't curve quite like teeth).

The hitodama twisted and twirled around the inugami, electing a noise of amusement from the canine before it nudged the little ghost flame in a move that was almost _fond_ and looked at him with dark eyes. Eventually it huffed, nodded and broke off at a run, the hitodama speeding after it with an excited whistle-twirl movement and Minato was left chasing them both lest he become lost in the forest.

_840 seconds._

They stopped at the tree line, the red pipe emerging from a different part of the forest- he noticed black and red braids touching down inside the forest from the direction that the pipe had emerged- and the inugami nudged him forwards.

"Kakashi is that way?" He asked, internally worrying over the time left, the inugami met his eye and nodded solemnly- he accepted that as his answer. "Thank you."

The inugami and hitodama both huffed their acknowledgement and Minato started running in the direction that the pipe was disappearing. He glanced back though, seeing the backs of a man and child moving into the forest and he blinked- but the image was gone.

Minato shook his head, "Think about it later, you have to hurry- eight hundred and twelve seconds left."

* * *

**A/N:**Trying to figure out what Kakashi's mindscape, along what kinds of manifestations there should be (and representing _what_), was terrible. On that note, and as some were stated but others _weren't_; What do you think means/represents what?

Also, since I have gotten into the habit (and have grown fond of it)...

**_Next:_**

_"This is your fault!" the Kyuubi snarled at him and __Minato ignored it, preoccupied with Kakashi and how time was rapidly running out. "We are going to _die_ because you could not protect your mate or care for your kit properly!"_

_He wanted to shout at it, say that he did the best he could but he was still _only human_, but it did not matter because part of him believed that it _was_ his fault- that he should have been smarter, stronger and wiser. Maybe Kakashi could have been happy if he was, maybe the seal would never have broken in the first place or maybe Rin and Obito would have still been alive._

_Almost as if sensing his weakness, the fox pounced, "You do not deserve what you have, _worm_."_


End file.
